Heidi Petz

Chairman, Chief Executive Officer & President, Sherwin-williams

Search every verified Heidi Petz interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. Heidi Petz, president and chief executive officer of The Sherwin-Williams Company, delivered the commencement address at the University of Richmond on May 12, 2024, where she also received an honorary doctor of commercial science degree. During the address, she discussed her career trajectory, including roles at Newell Rubbermaid, Target, and Price Waterhouse Coopers before joining Sherwin-Williams in 2017 through the Valspar acquisition. She described her leadership approach, emphasizing the importance of surrounding oneself with strong colleagues, betting on oneself, and not needing to have everything figured out immediately. Petz, who became the company's 10th CEO in January 2024 and president in March 2022, noted that Sherwin-Williams reported consolidated net sales of $23 billion in 2023 and operates in 123 countries with over 64,000 employees. She referred to these employees as "64,000 families," stating that the company aims to help them build skills and economic stability while ensuring their safety. Petz also serves on the boards of Ulta Beauty and University Hospitals Health System and is a member of the Policy Advisory Board of the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard.